Though we’ll ask that you excuse the language in the title of the below video, we also admit that the sentiment it articulates is hard to argue with.

According to the video’s description on YouTube, this very stuck excavator has overturned in a pit of muck in Håkanbo North Lingbo in Sweden. The machine is just about impossible to reach, making a rescue very tricky, as the length of the video attests.

After quite a bit of digging mud away from the stuck digger, the crew felled several nearby trees in order to create a makeshift ramp, placing logs as close as possible to the excavator’s tracks with a compact excavator.

Then a heavy wrecker and a 1962 Scania 970 6×6 recovery vehicle put their combined 100 tons of winch capacity to work to drag the machine out atop the ramp. According to the video’s description, the salvage job was successful and the excavator was incredibly back to work in just a week’s time.

If you need hearing protection in the shop but find wearing ear muffs all the time to be a bit isolating, 3M’s Peltor Work Tunes Pro AM/FM Radio Headset offers full hearing protection and the ability to listen to your favorite radio station.

With the addition of an auxiliary port you can even tune into audiobooks, podcasts, smart phones, MP3 files and other digital media. The built in AM/FM radio has five station presets and you can change channels without having to take the headset off. Available in headband styles or with a bracket that attaches to a hardhat. About $63 on Amazon.

]]>http://www.equipmentworld.com/2nd-day-3m-worktunes/feed/0All about the new diesel engine oils and which one is right for youhttp://www.equipmentworld.com/all-about-your-new-diesel-engine-oil-and-which-one-is-right-for-you/
http://www.equipmentworld.com/all-about-your-new-diesel-engine-oil-and-which-one-is-right-for-you/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 19:00:34 +0000http://www.equipmentworld.com/?p=136336There are now two types of diesel engine oil. Selecting the right one will depend on engine manufacturer and type of application.

As of December 1, most of the major oil companies are now selling a new heavy-duty diesel engine oil formulation for off- and on-road engines.

What’s noteworthy about the new oil standard is that for the first time there are two different formulas: one for off-road and some on-road engines, and one that will only be recommended for specific on-road engines seeking fuel efficiency gains. It is what the American Petroleum Institute terms a “split category.”

For the last decade, the API designated CJ-4 diesel engine was used in both highway trucks and off-road equipment. Going forward, off-road engines will use API CK-4 oils and the on-highway trucks will use either API CK-4 or API FA-4 oils. In the months past you may have heard these oils referred to as PC-11, which stands for Proposed Category 11. That was a temporary group designation, and as of December the official API licensing nomenclature will be CK-4 and FA-4.

We asked three experts in the industry to tell us what this means for you. Here’s what they said:

WHY THE SPLIT?

On-road engine manufacturers are looking at tightening fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions requirements in 2017. To meet these goals, they needed help from a low-viscosity oil. The lower the viscosity, the less energy the engine spends moving the oil around the engine to the pistons and crankshaft, etc. So the oil industry came up with the FA-4 standard to provide this low viscosity – and still be able to protect the engine from wear and maintain or extend drain intervals. Road tests indicate that the FA-4 oils can improve on-highway fuel economy by 2 to 4 percent.

The off-road engine manufacturers also wanted a new oil formulation, but for different reasons. Newer off-road engines run hotter, so OEMs asked for an oil that provided better oxidation control, among other things (See “What are the main benefits to using the new oils?” on page 36). But fuel economy is less important to the off-road market and off-road manufacturers were not sure lower viscosities could provide the kind of wear protection they needed in severe service applications, so they got a separate oil category, CK-4, with the same performance improvements, just different viscosity specs.

CAN I STILL BUY THE OLD CJ-4 OILS I’VE BEEN USING?

For a while, yes, but don’t expect them to be around much longer than three to six months. Historically, diesel lube oil category transitions happen rapidly since most of the oil companies and most of their customers don’t want to stock two types of oil.

DO THE NEW OILS WORK IN OLD TRUCKS AND EQUIPMENT?

The new CK-4 oils for off-road and on-road equipment are backward compatible with almost all other off-road and on-road diesel engines, regardless of age. They can also be used in any current or older on-highway engines. As in the past, fleets should select the recommended viscosity grade for their anticipated ambient temperature and operating conditions.

The FA-4 oils were designed specifically for fuel economy in newer on-road engines and will not be available in XW-40-weight viscosity grades. This may limit their backward compatibility for some older trucks. In cases where FA-4 oil is not recommended, on-highway fleets can use the CK-4 formulations. There is no detriment to using CK-4 oils in older truck engines. The only difference is that you don’t get the fuel economy benefit with XW-40 grade CK-4. Ultimately the engine OEMs will determine which of their older on-highway engines are suitable for FA-4 oils.

CAN I USE FA-4 OIL IN MY OFF-ROAD EQUIPMENT?

As of right now, no OEM has approved the use of FA-4 for off-road engines. But our experts are guardedly optimistic that as time, additional testing and field trials progress there may be some FA-4 approvals for off-road equipment, including the lower viscosity formulas. Check with your equipment or engine OEM for updates if you’re interested.

WHICH OIL DO I USE IN MY VOCATIONAL TRUCKS?

Although vocational trucks run on and off the road, right now there are no engine OEMs who recommend using low viscosity FA-4 oils in vocational trucks. Dumps, mixers and other vocational trucks engines are built for severe duty applications, much like the engines for dozers, excavators and backhoes, and require higher viscosity. CK-4 will be the oil to use in vocational trucks for the time being, however our experts express optimism that as more OEMs complete their tests, FA-4 oils may get approved for some models of vocational trucks.

WHAT VISCOSITY GRADES WILL BE AVAILABLE?

For CK-4 oils, all the viscosity grades available in the old CJ-4 formulations will be available. FA-4 oils will only be available in XW-30-weight oils.

DO THE NEW OILS COME IN SYNTHETIC FORMULATIONS?

Yes. As with today’s CJ-4 oils, the new CK-4 and FA-4 oils will be offered in mineral oil, semi-synthetic and full-synthetic formulas.

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT OIL SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS?

The new oils will have a different chemical signatures and performance attributes than the old CJ-4 formulations. If you are using oil analysis in your preventive maintenance, make sure your oil analysis lab knows about the change to the new oil.

ARE THE NEW OILS RECOMMENDED FOR AUTOMOTIVE AND PICKUP TRUCK DIESELS?

Diesel engines such as those found in larger pickups (e.g. Ford Power Stroke, Chevy Duramax and Ram’s Cummins turbo diesel) typically conform to the same API CJ-4 standard today and are expected to require CK-4 oils as the new specification takes effect. Smaller diesel engines (less than 4 liter), such as those found in passenger cars, generally come from Europe or Asia and have their own specifications requiring specialty oils.

Commercial service vehicle manufacturer and dealer Curry Supply has named Jim Hanson as its strategic account manager.

Hanson

Hanson has more than 11 years of experience in fleet management and has held previous positions including fleet manager, fleet administrator/purchasing agent and accounts payable manager. Hanson also has certifications in Certified Automotive Fleet Management and Certified Automotive Fleet Specialist.

“I am very excited to be on board with Curry Supply and to be supporting the trucks and suppliers directly,” Hanson says. “My fleet management experience will be a value added tool that I can provide customers who are focusing on their return on investment.”

“We are very excited that Jim has joined the Curry Supply team,” says Jason Ritchey, president. “His overall knowledge and fleet management experience will provide our customers a major value as they look for solutions to increase their sales and profitability.”

The Novato Police Department responded to the incident and reported that the driver left the scene in his vehicle.

The Police determined that, when the construction worker held up a stop sign asking the driver to stop for road construction in the area, the driver of the vehicle became angry, began yelling threatening statements, and then accelerated his vehicle toward the worker, striking her with his car.

The driver, John Bee, then then fled the scene, but later contacted the Police and turned himself in. He was placed under arrest and booked for Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

Luckily, the construction worker was not seriously injured. She was treated by the Novato Fire Department for minor injuries and released at the scene.

]]>http://www.equipmentworld.com/man-arrested-for-intentionally-striking-road-construction-worker-with-car-in-calif/feed/0U.S. drivers surpass 2.4 trillion miles for first 9 months of 2016http://www.equipmentworld.com/u-s-drivers-surpass-2-4-trillion-miles-for-first-9-months-of-2016/
http://www.equipmentworld.com/u-s-drivers-surpass-2-4-trillion-miles-for-first-9-months-of-2016/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 16:30:13 +0000http://www.equipmentworld.com/?p=142072The latest Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) data shows vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in the U.S. passed 2.4 trillion miles through September this year and is 3 percent higher than the same period last year.

In September alone the VMT was 265.5 billion miles, an increase of 2.9 percent compared to the same month in 2015. Of that total, 182.9 million miles were on urban roads and streets, while 82.6 billion miles were on rural roads.

The West region, comprised of 13 states, saw the biggest increase for the month, up 5.5 percent to 58.3 billion miles. This was followed by the 8-state South Atlantic region, with a 3.3 percent increase to 55.2 billion miles, and the 8-state South Gulf region with 52.3 billion miles and a 2 percent increase.

FHWA reported back in August that VMT for the first half of the year broke a record for that period, reaching 1.58 trillion miles.

The Traffic Volume Trends report compiles data collected from roughly 4,000 continuous traffic counting locations across the country. The current monthly Traffic Volume Report and figures from previous years are available here.

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), in addition to multiple county road commissions and municipalities, have added green lights to roughly 70 percent of winter maintenance vehicles to improve visibility to motorists.

The lights will either be flashing, rotating or oscillating, and aim to reduce crashes.

MDOT says studies show shades of green are more discernible than other color by human eyes. “Our visual system would be more attracted to a bright green light versus a bright white flashing light in a heavy snowstorm,” says Dr. Bernie Tekiele of the Michigan Eye Institute. “Our visual system is piqued to be sensitive to the green/yellow spectrum.”

The Kent County Road Commission (KCRC) already has been piloting the use of green lights for the past two years.

“We haven’t had any rear-end accidents with the green lights on the trucks that we’ve had for the past two years and that’s what we’re really trying to eliminate,” says Jerry Byrne, KCRC deputy managing director. “Folks slow down and don’t rear-end the backs of the trucks. We’ve had injury incidents in the past, so our goal is to spend a little money to save the number of accidents.”

The process to add the lights isn’t requiring addition work, as all that is being done is switching out lights that already need to be replaced with new green lenses.

“The cost, really, to the state is just the lens on the back of a light. It’s small. Something less than $100 per truck,” says Mark Geib, MDOT engineer of Operations Field Services. “So, since we put lights on anyway, in time there’s really going to be no additional cost to speak of.”

MDOT says the increased use of the green lights is also due to legislation sponsored by Rep. Rob VerHeulen of Walker that amended the Michigan Vehicle Code to allow green to be used on maintenance vehicles.

]]>http://www.equipmentworld.com/green-lights-boost-visibility-of-michigan-dot-winter-maintenance-vehicles/feed/0PacTrans receives $14 million from USDOT for mobility researchhttp://www.equipmentworld.com/pactrans-receives-14-million-from-usdot-for-mobility-research/
http://www.equipmentworld.com/pactrans-receives-14-million-from-usdot-for-mobility-research/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 15:39:02 +0000http://www.equipmentworld.com/?p=142054The Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium (PacTrans) has received a $14 million grant over five years from the U.S. Department of Transportation as part of the department’s recent University Transportation Centers (UTC) grants program recipients.

PacTrans is one of 10 regional UTCs in the U.S. and covers Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. The University of Washington leads the consortium, with partnerships from Boise State University, Gonzaga University, Oregon State University, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Idaho and Washington State University.

The grant, which will be matched by companies as well as local and regional agencies, will be used to study mobility challenges in the region, such as traffic congestion, transit access for people with disabilities, trip-planning tools and rural transportation options.

Research topics that may be studied include wireless sensors for collecting data and to connect traffic systems, integrating autonomous vehicles into traffic operations, strategic freight planning and car sharing for the elderly.

“This exciting new grant will allow us to address broader mobility challenges, of which our region certainly has many,” says PacTrans Director Yinhai Wang, a University of Washington professor of civil and environmental engineering. “We’re seeing rapid population growth in both Portland and Seattle, but we also have the very rural areas like Alaska, with very few people living in a vast landscape. So the question is: How can we offer transportation mobility to people in very different living environments?”

Previous grants to the consortium were not for as long as the five-year commitment this time, and the proposal was supported by members of Congress from the states involved in the consortium.

“Transportation mobility is one of the great challenges facing Washington State as we seek to remain competitive now and in the future,” says Sen. Patty Murray (D-Washington). “This funding will support important advances that will benefit our local communities and the nation as a whole.”

“When it comes to transportation problems, I have found that most folks want facts and data to guide decision-making,” says Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Washington), a senior member of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. “That is why this grant is important – it will help the University of Washington and its PacTrans partners develop smarter transportation solutions that will help drive job growth and keep the economy moving.”

With just a few weeks left in the holiday season, it’s time to start crossing names off your shopping list. And just like every year, we’re here to help.

We’ve come up with a list of 12 great gifts for the construction/trades professional in your life and over the next few weeks we’ll be revealing one item from the list each weekday.

There’s a little bit of everything here including apparel, tools, tech and toys, so stay tuned. As gifts are unwrapped, they’ll appear in the gallery grid below. You can click on the one that piques your interest to read all about it, or click through the whole gallery with the buttons below each post.

Lego and construction equipment go together like peanut butter and chocolate. In my opinion, there’s nothing that better illustrates the complexity of heavy equipment design while also bringing out the excitement in building something and the critical thinking skills required to do so, better than Lego.

Luckily, Lego is as much into construction equipment as we in the construction and heavy equipment industries are into Lego.

Over the last several years, Lego and heavy equipment manufacturer Volvo Construction Equipment have built a very close relationship. As we saw with the release of the Volvo L350F wheel loader Technic set, rather than just letting each collaboration between the two companies turn into a bland licensing deal, Volvo engineers and Lego designers work closely on each Lego version of Volvo’s machines in order to build in as much detail as possible.

The latest collaboration between the two companies is the Volvo EW160E and this wheeled excavator features the same impressive attention to detail. Larger sets, like the L350F and the EW160E can be pretty pricey. But they’re a project that literally the whole family can join in on and help with. Plus, both of these sets can be rebuilt as a second machine. The L350F can be disassembled and rebuilt as an A25F articulated hauler, while the EW160E can be rebuilt into the L30G compact material handler.

Lego’s Volvo EW160E set can be rebuilt into a L30G compact material handler.

Lego was kind enough to send along a sample set of the new EW160E and my wife and I spent a weekend putting it together with our niece and nephew. At more than 1,100 pieces this excavator isn’t the largest set we’ve tackled, but many of those pieces are small, so there is an understated challenge to building this machine.

Another fun element to this set is connecting all of the pneumatic lines that weave throughout the machine and make the boom and grabbing bucket completely functional. This model also features a functional blade and, because it’s a Technic set, when it’s paired with Lego’s Power Functions 8293 motor set, everything becomes motorized and the machine can be equipped with working lights.

It’s hard to recommend a construction-related gift more than this one as it can be enjoyed as a project alone or with the family, is a fun challenge, has a lot of replay value since it can be rebuilt into the material handler, and results in a cool model for your desk or office. It’s a gift that literally keeps on giving.

The Lego Volvo EW160E wheeled excavator Technic set runs for $120 on both the Lego store and Amazon.